BaitulMaqdis : Part 1

Hi all!

We’ve arrived safely from our Jerusalem trip yesterday. Both my girls are sleeping, my husband is already in JB for an event and here I am, blogging while doing my laundry! Haha..

Over all, it was an amazing trip. I heard a lot of stories about Muslim people and Muslim tourists not allowed to go into Al-Aqsa mosque by the Israeli but alhamdullilah, our group was well taken care of by our agent there.

To be honest, I didn’t really paying attention to the tourist guide when he was explaining to us the history of Jerusalem in the bus because I was dozing off!! Haha.. Then my husband woke me up and paksa me to listen so I can write it in this blog! Haha.. Sorry people, I was sooo sleepy. Anyway, this is the part that I heard from him.. BaitulMaqdis is also known as Al-Quds or Palestinian-land-occupied-by-Israel. It is claimed by the Israeli from the Palestinians as their land after 1967 after Six-Day War. (That’s quite a short duration for a war, isn’t it?) After thousands of years Islam has been there, the Israeli took the land from Muslims and made it theirs (I think the British who conquered the area at that time gave it to the Jews as Jews has no country, if I’m not mistaken.. Trust me I’m bad at History!!). The Israeli has closed down more than 600 mosques in BaitulMaqdis and converted it to churches, police stations, shops and many more. It saddens me seeing the Israeli army stationed at all the Al-Aqsa entrances. They control who can come in into the mosque. Only Palestinians and tourist Muslims who lives in BaitulMaqdis can go to Al-Aqsa but not other Palestinians who lives outside of BaitulMaqdis. Imagine your rights to pray in the third holy mosque is controlled by the Israeli. Is that fair?

We flew from KLIA to Queen Alia Airport in Amman, Jordan. In Amman, we were brought to see the Seven Sleepers Cave, which also known as Ashabul Kahfi.

The entrance of the cave is really as described in the Quran in Surah Al-Kahfi, verse 17:

“And you would have seen the sun, when it rose, inclining away to the right from their cave, and when it set, passing away from them to the left, while they lay in the open space in the midst of the cave. Such are among the signs of God. He whom God guides is (rightly) guided; but he whom God leaves to stray, for him you will never find a protector, a guide (to lead him to the right way)”

This sentence, according to my tour guide is referring to the olive tree that covers the entrance from direct sunlight. There’s also another place in Turkey that people claimed as Ashabul Kahfi but this one in Amman suits the ayat the most.

Here’s the inside of it. These is a picture of three tombs and archeologist actually found human bones and a dog’s bone inside this cave. Wallahualam..

After that, we went to Prophet Shuib A.S mosque and shrine, which was also in Amman..The tomb is probably about 12 foot long. I can’t imagine seeing someone with that height.. MasyaAllah.

Then we proceed to Jerusalem, no pictures were allowed to be taken at the border check point between Jordan and Jerusalem. It’s controlled by the Israel. It took us almost two hours just to pass the immigration check point. They even open all our bags for security reasons.

Anyway, after that, our tour bus dropped us at the Dead Sea at Israeli side. I totally forgot the name of the place but it looks like this..

Across the sea, on the other side is Jordan. That’s Jordan Valley. Yes, they are that close to each other.

No I didn’t go for swim there.. (OK I can’t swim.. haha..) Never in my life I would imagine I will go to the sea in abaya.. and my husband in jubah! Hahah.. but who cares, right! Managed to dip our legs into the sea.. jadilah.. Bella and Tasha also had a quick dip there.. Apparently Dead Sea water is super salty. It contains 32 types of minerals (that is a lot as compared to normal sea but please don’t ask me how many types of minerals in normal sea.. I dont know! :D) It is supposed to be good for your skin, and according to them, the mud is even better. These people the applied the mud on their body like body mask!!

OK, I gotta go. Tasha is awake. Back to mommy mode. Will continue my story later…

yeayyy!! finally! new post! i knew you and ur family were away, but somehow, my hand will automatically bukak ur blog everyday even though i tau takde new post pn until you came back.. hehe.. can’t wait to read more about this amazing trip 🙂

Salam! Dead Sea on Israeli side is called Eliat, I believe! Was on the Jordanian side not too long ago – was a wee bit too expensive to get to the Israeli side for my taste!
Your trip looks amazing so far, masya’Allah. Lucky family, alhamdulillah 🙂

Masyallah.. You managed to go. I cant describe the feeling when you’re there. The tears.. Everything. How muslims are treated there.The fact that you managed to get to be in the dead sea is wonderful. When i was there, we couldnt as the military controlled it and no one is allowed near it except to the shops. Cant wait to read your continuation story!

I opened ur page today but didnt really hope there is new entry since you just arrived (i opened this page everyday).

So glad with this new entry. Jazakillah khair Dr.Halina and your hubby too for reminding you to listen to the tour guide 😉

Will wait patiently for next update. To see how you and husband raised up your adorable kids in islamic environment, make me feel happy. I want to see better muslim community and you inspired many awesome moms here to do so. May Allah bless your efforts.

beautiful journey…..very informative information u shared…..and very depressing and agony on Muslims side that over number of muslims around the world they could not be allowed to offer prayer in Bait-ul-Maqdis….it is very disturbing for me…..the Muslim Ummah must should unite and recapture the Bait-ul-Maqdis…..I am very happy with u on sharing these pics and information….Jazaka Allah…May u live long and live a prosperous life

salam,hi! i’m planning on going to jordan and eventually to al aqsa. was just wondering, is it safe to go? given all the political conflicts there, and the constant attacking against the muslim there. would love to know ur thoughts about this 🙂

Learning to meditate to keep my sanity intact while trying to balance family, career, life and friendship. Not to mention a little OCD and neat-freak! But I never bother to wash my car.. I don't know why.